Pollinator declines and expectations for more sustainable agriculture, including pasture-based enterprises, bring attention to strategies to enhance the habitat value of grazing lands. We evaluated native warm-season grass (NWSG) pastures with (FORB) and without (CONT) interseeded native forbs in 2021–2023. An analysis was conducted using R with the significance set at p ≤ 0.05. The grass appeared to be weakened predominantly by grazing management practices. Forb density and mass had an inverse relationship in seasons two and three. Total forage mass declined in response to increased grazing days and weakened stands. The forage nutritive compositions differed, with more stable, season-long crude protein and lower fiber concentrations in late-season FORB, which supported higher bodyweight gains and season-long average daily gain. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta; BESU), lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata; LCOR), and showy ticktrefoil (Desmodium canadensis; STTF) were the most abundant forbs, and BESU, LCOR, and purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea; PURC) produced long flowering windows. Cattle grazed STTF, cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum; CUPP), and oxeye sunflower (Helopsis helianthoides) the most. Under continuous stocking, a blend of BESU, LCOR, PURC, STTF, and CUPP produced acceptable cattle gains and provided pollinator resources, suggesting that this model may be a viable means to enhance the sustainability of pastures.

Insect pollinators are in population decline due to environmental and chemical stressors. Including native forbs in pastures could benefit grazers and pollinators; however, their forage and flowering characteristics are not fully documented. The objectives of our research were to evaluate 12 native forbs for persistence, forage mass, nutrient composition, and flowering patterns under repeated defoliation. Twelve species were planted in a small-plot experiment in 2018. Response variables were measured from 2020 to 2022. Annual (partridge pea, PPEA, Chamaecrista fasciculata) and biennial (black-eyed Susan, BESU, Rudbeckia hirta) species established high (p < 0.05) plant populations during the first season; however, the PPEA declined (p < 0.05) in forage mass during 2021. Tall species (Maximilian sunflower, MSUN, Helianthus maximiliani; cup plant, CUPP, Silphium perfoliatum) increased in forage mass, produced high-quality forage, and flowered during early fall. Lanceleaf coreopsis (LCOR, Coreopsis lanceolata) produced consistent (p > 0.05) forage mass and flowered in spring. The purple coneflower (PURC, Echinacea purpurea), Illinois bundleflower (ILBF, Desmanthus illinoensis), and oxeye sunflower (OSUN, Helopsis helianthoides) produced high-quality, consistent (p > 0.05) forage mass and flowered mid-season. Interseeding the BESU, ILBF, PPEA, LCOR, PURC, OSUN, and MSUN or CUPP would produce high-quality forage and floral resources throughout summer.

Recent changes in rendering availability for chemically-euthanized animals have created a need to explore composting as an equine mortality management method. The objectives of this study were to evaluate equine mortality composting in the Upper Midwest during fall and spring, document sodium pentobarbital concentrations throughout the process, and determine nutrient content of finished compost. During each season, four horses were euthanized by intravenous administration of sodium pentobarbital. Carcasses were positioned at the center of a woodchip and shavings base and covered with a 2:1 mixture of horse stall waste and cattle feedlot waste. Data loggers were placed at 46- and 91cm depths to record pile temperatures every 8 hours. At turning (44-50 days) and trial conclusion (181-216 days), compost piles were sampled for sodium pentobarbital and nutrient composition. Piles contained large bones after 6 months of composting. Sodium pentobarbital remained detectable at trial conclusion (<0.002-1.49 mg kg¹ dry matter); however, composting reduced the estimated quantities of sodium pentobarbital by ≥94% (P ≤ .001). Compost from each season met ideal land application values for organic matter (45%-48%), pH (7.3-7.6), and electrical conductivity (3.3-3.4 mm hos cm^-1). Low NPK and high C:N ratio (20-30) indicate compost could partially replace synthetic fertilizers when land applied. These findings suggest equine mortality composting is an effective management practice during fall and spring in the Upper Midwest. While remaining sodium pentobarbital residues were minimal, further research is needed to determine environmental implications of composting chemically-euthanized equines.

Reduced floral resources and habitat fragmentation have led to pollinator decline. Increased diversity of native plants in pastures could support cattle and pollinators. However, the relationship between grazing and plant diversity needs to be investigated. We explored how grazing rest periods impacted persistence and forage characteristics of Andropogon gerardii (BB)/Sorghastrum nutans (IG; BBIG) and Panicum virgatum (SG) pastures interseeded with forbs and grazed over five years. ANOVA analysis was conducted using R with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Forb species exhibited different establishment and flowering characteristics. Coreopsis tinctoria, Rudbeckia hirta (BESU), and Coreopsis lanceolata (LCOR) established early, while Helianthus maximiliani, Heliopsis helianthoides (OSUN), and Echinacea purpurea (PURC) established the second season. Rudbeckia hirta, LCOR, OSUN, and PURC flowered most frequently, and the grazing regimen did not influence the flowering frequency of any species. Desmodium tortuosum (TTFL) was one of the most selected by cattle. Total forage mass declined in 2022, but forb mass interacted with treatment and year where mass declined each year but varied among treatments annually. Based on persistence and forage characteristics, BESU, LCOR, OSUN, PURC, and TTFL could successfully provide forage in native pastures under a variety of grazing regimens.